Expressing deep appreciation over the new government’s policies on improving human rights and strengthening democratic institutions, European Union Ambassador to Sri Lanka David Daly said the EU is seriously reevaluating the Sri Lanka’s request to grant the GSP+ concession once again for Sri Lanka exports to EU and to lift the restrictions imposed on export of fish products.

Mr Daly explained that the legal processes were slow as the EU has to go through a rigorous evaluation process before taking the final decision. However, he acknowledged that the strong political weight thrown up by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe on these issues would be useful to speed up the process.

EU ambassador called on President Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat today and congratulated him on his electoral victory. He said a team of senior EU officials visited Sri Lanka for trade discussions and another team would shortly visit for joint committee meetings.

In a historic ICT policy achievement, Sri Lanka has now become the first country in South Asia to be invited to join the Budapest Cybercrime Convention. This was communicated in a letter sent to the Secretary, Foreign Affairs recently by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. It was consequent upon a decision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

Sweden hopes to further enhance the existing economic and trade relations with Sri Lanka, Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven stated during the bilateral discussions with President Maithripala Sirisena on the sidelines of Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2015, in Boao, Hainan Province, China.

An extent of 1,000 acres is to be released for the resettlement of the people in the Jaffna District by April and the Security Forces are exploring possibilities of releasing more land for resettlement in the district.

The Government also plans to set up special economic zones in a number of areas in the country, including Jaffna, Kandy, Hambantota and Trincomalee, with an objective of providing youth with 1 million employment avenues.

Asian enterprise is a key driver in global economic development – President at Boao Forum

China, SL leaders reiterates all weather friendship

[March 30, 2015]

The first free Wi-Fi zone promised by the Government from its election manifesto opened at the Fort railway station premises this morning (March 30) under the patronage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

[March 28, 2015]

Today Asian enterprise is a key driver in global economic development as Asian economies continue to grow and they have also become more complex and more integrated with each other and with the rest of the world, said President Maithripala Sirisena, in his speech at the Opening Plenary of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2015, today (March 28)

[March 27, 2015]

Presidents of Sri Lanka and China Maithripala Sirisena and Xi Jinping reiterated the view that Sri Lanka and China are all weather friends, whose relations span centuries and have stood the test of time.

While commending the process undertaken by the new government in Sri Lanka, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang reiterated his and his government's fullest cooperation towards it.

[March 26, 2015]

A concessionary loan scheme will be introduced from today (March 27) to revive the small and medium scale rice mills which have been closed down for the past few years.

[March 26, 2015]

For the first time in Sri Lanka the Triple Quadrupole Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LCMSMS) testing machine would be introduced to Sri Lanka from next month, enabling the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) to locally perform tests on DCD and Melamine in imported milk powder.

A special committee will be set up by the Urban Development, Water Supply and Drainage Ministry to investigate anomalies caused during the rehabilitation and removal of houses in the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area in the recent past and find solutions to them.

[March 26, 2015]

The Government of China has agreed to provide funding to Sri Lanka to build a hospital with all the modern facilities to cater to patients with kidney diseases.

[March 26, 2015]

Sri Lanka and China today signed agreements on a wide range of cooperation that cover health, education, social and economic development.